Bathing Tub for Pets

ABSTRACT

A bathing tub for pets includes a basin with lateral wings projecting from opposite sides. The wings are useful as handles and work surfaces, and engage the rim of a sink into which the tub is placed to prevent the tub from tipping. One or more interchangeable elements can be snapped into the center of the basin to construct a mound assembly in the center of the basin of the proper height for a particular animal; the mound height can be changed, by adding or removing elements, for other animals. While being bathed, the pet stands in the basin with its feet straddling the mound; this prevents the pet from sitting or lying down in the tub. Restraining straps may be applied through slots in the tub to keep the animal in a correct position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to pet bathing tubs, and more specifically totubs designed to be inserted into a sink, and to restrain a pet securelyas it is bathed.

Prior inventors have proposed a number of devices to contain an animalsuch as a household pet while it is being washed. In U.S. Pat. No.5,678,511, for example, Day provided a molded basin whose floor had acental hump or mound to prevent an animal from sitting down while it wasin the basin. The tub also had slots in the walls of the basin throughwhich pet restraints could be passed.

A problem with Day's device was that it was not adjustable: one of Day'stubs would have been suitable only for pets of a particular size. Itwould be much more useful to have a tub which could be easily modifiedto accommodate pets of substantially different sizes. Then pet ownerscould purchase a single tub with the assurance they could continue touse it as their pets grew, or as new pets came into the family.

A shortcoming of all known prior devices is that they were designed asfree-standing units which could tip over while they were being used. Amore stable pet washing tub would reduce the likelihood of spills andpossibly injurious accidents.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide a wash tub which can beinserted into a kitchen sink, bathtub or laundry sink, and isparticularly adapted to restrain pets safely while they are beingwashed.

Another object is to provide a pet wash tub specifically designed toengage the sink structure to stabilize the tub while it is in use.

A further object is to provide a tub having interchangeable parts whichcan be assembled to create central mounds of different heights so as toaccommodate pets of different sizes.

These and other objects are attained by a pet bathing tub, twoembodiments of which are illustrated and described below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings,

FIG. 1 is an unexploded perspective view of a pet bathing tub embodyingthe invention;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation thereof, the rear elevation being identical;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the plane T-T in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 an unexploded perspective view thereof;

FIG. 6 is an exploded front elevation thereof, showing mound elementswhich can be snapped into the tub's basin or stacked on other elements;

FIG. 7 is an enlargement of a portion of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of a modified, larger, form of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a front elevation thereof;

FIG. 10 is a right side elevation thereof;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view thereof; and

FIG. 12 shows the bathing tub in use.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A bathing tub for pets, as shown in FIGS. 1-6, includes a basin 10,which is preferably injection molded in a single piece from athermoplastic polymer such as polypropylene or polyethylene. The basin10 comprises a basin 12 and a pair of wings 14, 16, which extend fromthe basin in opposite directions and serve as handles, tub stabilizers,and drainage tables and holding surfaces for tools and supplies.

Each of the wings forms a substantially horizontal work surface 18,which is surrounded on three sides by a substantially vertical flange20. The work surface has a ribbed or corrugated central portion 22, anddrains into the basin 12. Slots 24 are formed in the flange 20 so thatrestraining straps or ties may be run through the slots to restrain theanimal's head.

As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, reinforcing gussets or ribs 26 are formedat the intersection of the wings and the basin, to either side of thecentral portion 22. The ribs 26 also improve stackability of the tubs bypreventing wedging of adjacent units.

The wings 14, 16 stabilize the tub when it is placed in a sink byengaging the rim or top surface of the sink The distance from the bottomof the wings to the bottom of the basin is chosen to prevent the bottomof the basin from resting on the floor of the sink However, tofacilitate use in particularly shallow sinks, or for use outdoors or onflat surfaces, the basin is provided with four short feet 28. The feetstably support the tub in such situations, and operate as standoffs sothat the water outlet holes 30 (visible in FIG. 1) are not obstructedfrom below. The holes 30 are normally filled by rubber plugs which canbe pulled to drain water from the tub.

In FIGS. 2 and 4, one can see a receptacle 32 of rectangular shapecentered in and formed as a boss extending upward slightly from thefloor of the basin. An array of eight slots 34 is formed in thereceptacle, to receive tabs of stackable elements described below.

A mound of desired height can be constructed at the center of the floorof the basin from a plurality of stackable mound elements 36, 38, 40(FIG. 1) which are provided with the basin as a kit. One of the elements36, which must be installed at the top of the stack, has a smooth uppersurface which is rounded, e.g. in a hemicylindrical shape, so that theassembled mound does not present any sharp exposed edges oruncomfortable corners. The top element 36 also has an array of slots 42.Retaining straps, preferably having Velcro-type fasteners, can be passedthrough the slots 42 and around the animal's torso to keep him in place.

The lower elements 38, 40 are interchangeable and stackable, and mayhave different heights. They enable one to construct mounds of variousheights within the basin, to fit animals of different sizes. Each of thelower elements has slots 34′ in its upper surface, arranged in a patternidentical to that of the slots 34 in the receptacle 32, and everyelement has a corresponding array of tabs 44 for seating in the slots ofthe element below it.

As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, each tab 44 comprises a pair of tines 46, 48,and each tine has an outer barb 50. The distance between the barb tipsis greater than the length of the slots 34, 34′ so that there is aninterference fit and the tines are driven together slightly when thetabs are inserted into the slots. Preferably, the slots are undercut sothat the barbs snap in behind the slots and thereby resist inadvertentdisassembly.

In use, after a mound of the desired height has been assembled in thebasin, an animal (FIG. 12) is placed in the tub, with its legsstraddling the mound assembly. Restraining body straps are applied, ifdesired, by passing them through the slots 24 on one side of the basin,between the front and rear legs of the animal, and through the slots 42in the upper mound element 36, to the slots 24 on the opposite side ofthe basin. The body straps, in conjunction with the mound assembly andthe head retaining strap (if used) prevent the animal from sitting,rolling or twisting in the tub. As the animal is washed and rinsed, thewash water is kept in the basin until the plugs 31 are removed. Afterthe basin contents have drained into the sink, the tub may be removedfrom the sink, using the wings 14, 16 as handles to lift the tub.

FIGS. 8-11 show an alternative version of the invention, which differsfrom that described above only in its dimensions and proportions; thisversion being suitable for larger animals. Whereas the embodiment ofFIGS. 1-7 is designed to fit in a kitchen sink and to accommodate petsweighing up to about twenty pounds, the second embodiment fits better ina bathtub, or a laundry or utility room sink, and is designed toaccommodate larger pets, weighing up to about fifty pounds. Thestructural elements and operation are otherwise the same as previouslydescribed.

It should be understood that the invention is subject to variations fromthe particular embodiment described above. For example, differentmaterials might be used, and the dimensions and proportions of thedevice may be changed, without departing from the inventive concept.

Since the invention is subject to modifications and variations, it isintended that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawingsshall be interpreted as only illustrative of the invention defined bythe following claims.

I claim:
 1. A bathing tub for pets, said tub comprising a basin having afloor, a receptacle formed in the floor, and a plurality ofinterchangeable, stackable mound elements which can be assembled invarious combinations to create a mound of a desired height attached tosaid receptacle.
 2. The invention of claim 1, wherein the basin has apair of lateral wings projecting in opposite directions from its upperedge to provide work surfaces, to act as handles for the basin, and tosupport the tub when it is inserted in a sink.
 3. The invention of claim2, wherein each of said lateral wings has a corrugated central portion.4. The invention of claim 2, further comprising gussets reinforcing eachof said wings at their intersection with the basin.
 5. The invention ofclaim 2, wherein each of said lateral wings is surrounded on three sidesby a substantially vertical flange.
 6. The invention of claim 5, furthercomprising a plurality of slots formed in the vertical flange so thatrestraining straps or ties may be run through the slots to restrain ananimal's head.
 7. The invention of claim 1, wherein the receptaclecomprises a plurality of slots formed in the floor of the basin, andeach of the mound elements has a corresponding plurality of tabs whichcan be inserted in the respective slots.
 8. The invention of claim 7,wherein a top one of the mound elements has a rounded upper surface freeof sharp edges or corners.
 9. The invention of claim 8, wherein eachelement other than the top element has slots in its upper surfacearranged in an array identical to that of the slots in the receptacle,and tabs arranged in a corresponding array, whereby mounds of differentheights may be constructed to accommodate different pets.
 10. Theinvention of claim 7, wherein each of the tabs comprises a pair oftines, and each tine has an outer barb, the distance between the barbsbeing greater than the length of the slot into which the tabs areinserted, so that the barbs have an interference fit in their slots andresist accidental disassembly of the mound.